One and only combat mission of the Quillen crew:
Mission #61, 19 August 1943, mission to Gilze-Rijen, The Netherlands, in
B-17F 42-5392 Stric Nine (427BS) GN-X. B-17 was hit by flak and caught fire.
Some of the crew bailed out over the Dutch coast (presumed off Hiock van
Holland). The B-17 then crashed into the North Sea. The bodies of Lt's Lauren H.
Quillen (P), Bevan W. Colby, Jr. (N), William N. Irish (B) and T/Sgt Elden F.
Richter (B) washed ashore and were buried in a local Dutch cemetery. Their
bodies were later reinterred. 2Lt Bevin W. Colby, Jr. is buried at the Netherlands American Cemetery at
Martgraten, Netherlands.